Remembering Tiananmen Square

Twenty years ago today the Chinese army rolled their tanks into Tiananmen Square in Beijing and quashed the massive protests that were taking place there. Seven weeks of uprisings, demonstrations, and hunger strikes were wiped out under the treads of Chinese tanks. Casualties numbered in the hundreds or the thousands — there has never been an official accounting — but the toll on the democracy movement was near fatal. To help recreate the scene for us we are joined by the BBC's Kate Adie, who reported from the ground in Tiananmen Square. We are also joined by photographer Jeff Widener, who captured the quintessential image of the struggle — a lone man standing against a line of tanks.

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Comments [2]

Hugh Sansom

While Americans marvel at the historical amnesia many or most Chinese are displaying on the anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre, perhaps we should reflect on our own unwillingness to address American atrocities in Vietnam, or domestically or today in the Middle East.

I see no evidence whatsoever that American's are any more honest than any other people around the world.

I would not be surprised if The USA killed more innocent people with its CIA drone attacks in the last two weeks than the Chinese killed in Tiananmen Square. The Chinese have taken big steps forward in moving toward capitalism and free markets and the USA has taken giant steps toward communism. After four years of Obama the Chinese will all be driving hummers and we will be riding bicycles.